The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam GrantCan We Build an “Us” Without a “Them”? With John Green | The Curiosity Shop
Episode Details
EPISODE INFO
- Released
- August 13, 2026
- Duration
- 58m
- Channel
- The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant
- Watch on YouTube
- ▶ Open ↗
EPISODE DESCRIPTION
Is it possible to build a community without a 'them'? Author, YouTuber, and podcaster John Green joins Brené Brown and Adam Grant for a wide-ranging conversation on belonging, friendship, and the systems that shape our lives. Together, they explore why sports can create such powerful communities, whether it’s possible to build an “us” without needing a “them,” and why shared projects can help relationships last for decades. John reflects on the challenges of young adulthood, what he learned from working as a hospital chaplain, and why supporting someone in pain sometimes means resisting the urge to fix it. The conversation also moves through why frictionless access, not just awareness, is essential to helping people get the care they need, the role coaches can play in athletes’ well-being, and John’s upcoming novel Hollywood, Ending. #brenebrown #adamgrant #johngreen Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCuriosityShop About The Curiosity Shop: Research professor Brené Brown and organizational psychologist Adam Grant are partnering on a new weekly podcast grounded in an unflinching commitment to learning and unlearning. At a time when public discourse rewards certainty over inquiry, The Curiosity Shop features two of the world's most sought-after experts on connection, change, and leadership making the case for slowing down, asking better questions, and embracing informed complexity over easy answers. Bringing together their left and right brain sensibilities — she’s a qualitative researcher; he’s a quantitative researcher — they explore some of the defining questions of our time, unpack the research reshaping how we live, lead, and love, and dive deep into the ideas, evidence, and cultural moments intriguing them the most. New episodes drop every Thursday. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Connect with The Curiosity Shop: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriosityshop/ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1730985049 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3oEPsPKDhPVoNNL7pH5db6?si=e2483abb4eed4b03 Connect with Brené Brown: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brenebrown/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenebrown/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brenebrown/ Connect with Adam Grant: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adamgrant/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adammgrant/ X: https://x.com/adammgrant/ ============================= Chapters: 0:00 Welcome, John Green! 1:16 John Green’s Love of Football & the World Cup 6:14 Building an “Us” Without a “Them” 12:27 Is John Green the Same Person He Was at the Start? 15:41 Why Shared Projects Strengthen Friendships 22:32 Why John Green Loves Writing About Young People 23:51 Watching Your Child Experience Heartbreak 25:53 Sitting With Someone in Their Pain 29:27 Mental Health in Professional Sports 33:59 John Green on His Own Mental Health Crisis 37:15 The Role Coaches Play in Athletes’ Mental Health 41:02 Rapid Fire With John Green 50:09 Brené Brown & Adam Grant Reflect 54:01 Brené Brown’s “Picture Memory” Story 56:18 Biggest Takeaways Show Notes: https://thecuriosityshop.com/podcast/can-we-build-an-us-without-a-them-with-john-green/ Can We Build an “Us” Without a “Them”? with John Green | The Curiosity Shop https://www.youtube.com/@TheCuriosityShop
SPEAKERS
Brené Brown
hostResearch professor and bestselling author known for work on vulnerability, shame, courage, and belonging.
Adam Grant
hostOrganizational psychologist and bestselling author who brings social-science research and workplace psychology to public conversations.
John Green
guestAuthor and creator (Vlogbrothers/Nerdfighteria) who discusses writing, community, and public health topics.
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant, featuring Brené Brown and Adam Grant, Can We Build an “Us” Without a “Them”? With John Green | The Curiosity Shop explores john Green on belonging, shared projects, and frictionless access to care Green explores whether an inclusive “us” can exist without defining an opposing “them,” arguing it’s possible but requires vigilance against our bias toward out-groups.
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